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THE CHAMBER COURIERJune 2021 - Page 8MESSAGE FROM ROLF SIVERTSENSuperintendent for CUSD #66A Fond FarewellOn June 30, 2021 I will officially be joining the ranks of the senior citizens and retire. After 35 years ineducation I could probably write a best seller book on my experiences. For example, I started out in the mid1980’s when the Mullet was the must have hair doo for both boys and girls and ended it in the midst of apandemic. What a dynamic experience! However, the best thing about my career is how I have ended it.I can honestly say, without reservation, the best part of my career has been my tenure in Canton. I have metwonderful people and worked with some of the most dedicated and committed educators I have ever met.Most importantly, without any reservation whatsoever, I can honestly say my successor will be a greatsuperintendent and eclipse and exceed my educational performance.Taking over as superintendent next year will be Tad DeRenzy. Tad was born in Canton and has lived here hisentire life. He is also a graduate of the Canton School District and Spoon River College. Tad’s most recentassignment has been as business manager for the school district. During his tenure as business manager hehas worked hard to maintain a balanced budget and keep the district in the black while many other districtsthroughout the state have struggled to do so. He is honest, fair, and has a profound regard for the success ofchildren. I am very excited for Tad and the district.Tad’s replacement will be Jeff Utsinger.The business manager oversees the financial well-being of the district.Most recently Jeff has been principal of Stark County High School. Jeff has recently completed hisSuperintendents endorsement and is excited to start his new assignment. Jeff recently moved his family withinthe Canton School District. I am excited for Jeff and his family.In closing, I would like to thank the community and the board of educationfor giving me the privilege of leading the district for the past 5 years. Myoldest son will be a senior next year at CHS. As a result, my family plansto remain in the area. I have had many people ask me “what’s next?” Tobe honest I don’t know. However, one thing is for certain - on June 30thI will be officially retired. Thank you to all the staff and community for awonderful experience!www.facebook.com/CACC61520

THE CHAMBER COURIERJune 2021 - Page 9THE VALUE OF COMMUNITY LEADERSA Message from Cole McDanielExecutive Director fo the Spoon River Partnership for Economic DevelopmentThere is not just one characteristic that defines a community leader. Community leaders step up to the plateto make a difference, with long term goals of prosperity and better quality of life always in mind. In somemodels, leadership is a position in a hierarchy. Those at the top of the hierarchy have the power and make thedecisions. Community leadership is about developing every person’s capacity for leadership, starting withself-leadership and self-responsibility. Those who have positions of leadership must demonstrate principlesand practices of good leadership by living the example. So, the community leader does not take the primeparking spot out of a sense of entitlement. There are no special privileges that put community leaders aboveothers who live in the community. Every member of the community has responsibilities and rights.Community leaders walk beside others and listen to them.A community leader’s job is not to take on all the problems of the world themselves and fix everything, butrather to work together with everyone in the community, to mobilize and guide others, to facilitate solutionsand think about the long-term health of the community and its people.I want to say thank you to those community leaders we have here in Canton. It would be difficult to namethem all without missing someone by accident, so with that said, you know who you are! With thecommunity and organizational leaders, we have in Canton, we are able to get more accomplished then wouldever be possible without them. I encourage everyone to strive to be a community leader, to help guide others,and raise the standard for Canton!209 E. Chestnut StreetSuite 2BCanton, IL 61520(309) 647-2677Meet the Assistant Director, continued.One of my more consistent responsibilities is to boost and monitor the Chamber’s online presence. Thisalso includes promoting our Chamber Members when we can. One thing I’ve noticed as I’ve worked on theChamber’s Facebook page, as well as our weekly Member Minute Newsletter, is that it’s much easier for us topromote our members if they have an online presence that is regularly updated. If your business is aChamber Member, help me help you! If you have a Facebook page, keep it updated as regularly as possible.Also, be sure to send us any flyers you have for upcoming events. If you don’t have a flyer, but have all theinformation, I am more than happy to design a flyer for you and your event! It’s one of your benefits of beinga Chamber Member!I am excited about the work being done at the Chamber, and I’m looking forward to finding more waysto serve the Canton community. Don’t hesitate to stop by our office and say hello! As you see more of mearound town, I hope to make more connections and get to know Canton and its residents on a deeper level.209 East Chestnut Street Canton, IL 61520 (309) 647-2677

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THE CHAMBER COURIERJune 2021 - Page 12HERE AT HOME #2: JOSHUA PICKEL &CORRINNA MARKLAND PICKELThe Circles of Life: by Carol DavisIt’s the circle of lifeAnd it moves us allThrough despair and hopeThrough faith and love‘Til we find our placeOn the path unwindingIn the circle of life– Elton John, The Circle of Life, from The Lion KingHumans, as well as Disney lion cubs, participate in the Circle of Life. Dictionaries define this cycle as a series ofstages through which something passes during its lifetime. However, sometimes human life is not comprised ofjust one big life and death cycle, but a complex web of concentric circles leading us back to where our journeysoriginally began. That is especially true for this month’s Here at Home youngprofessionals Joshua Pickel and Corrinna Markland Pickel.THE FIRST CIRCLEToday, Josh Pickel teaches seventh grade science at Ingersoll Middle School.Corrinna works as a mental health clinician at the Canton branch of NorthCentral Behavioral Health Systems. Although choosing different career paths,both Josh and Corrinna assist their clients and students in removing barriersand discover their personal life potentials.Canton High School English instructor Martha Harr played a major rolein Josh’s life and eventual career choice. “Mrs. Harr was a big inspiration to mein high school, even before I decided to study education,” Josh says. “Sheencouraged me to be who I was, even if I was a little anti-authoritarian and intocounterculture. I was still obviously working it all out in high school, but shesaw those pieces of me as valuable pieces that should be allowed to grow. I amgrateful for her acceptance and encouragement. I try to be that way in my classroom every day now. I want kidsto feel safe to be who they are when they are in my classroom.”For Corrinna, it was her mother, Dinah Markland, who introduced her to the value in social work. “Mymom was a single parent and the best role model a young girl could have,” says Corrinna. “Mom always thinksabout others and instilled that in me at an early age. When I was little, mom worked in soup kitchens and tookme along with her. She earned her degree as a non-traditional student and devoted her life to making the worlda better place. She still does that every day at the Fulton Mason Crisis Service. And now I do my best to emulateher.” Neither Josh nor Corrinna entered their current careers immediately, however. The two traveled inseveral ever-expanding circles – sometimes together, often apart – before they made their journey home.THE SECOND CIRCLE – JOSHThroughout high school, Josh lived at home with his father Dave, his mother Terry, and his sister Emily. Likemany students, Josh focused attention on his classes and extra-curricular activities, but current world events alsoweighed heavily on Josh’s mind. By the time he graduated, Josh considered politics as a potential career.209 East Chestnut Street Canton, IL 61520 (309) 647-2677

THE CHAMBER COURIERJune 2021 - Page 13The Circles of Life, Continued“It was the George W. Bush era and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq started and it kind of became theperfect storm for me getting into politics and the anti-war movement at the time. I was getting into punk rockand the sort of outspoken anti-authoritarian music and literature that shaped the worldview I carry to this day,”Josh says. In the fall of his freshman year, aerial terrorists had felled the Twin Towers, hit the Pentagon, anddowned a plane in Pennsylvania.Josh became close friends with Corrinna Markland. Corrinna and Josh dated other people, but theirfriendship grew stronger throughout high school. In August 2005, Josh headed to Northern Illinois Universitywhere for the next two and a half years, he would switch majors from political science to elementary education,then to visual communications/graphic design for a short period, and eventually back to elementary education.“I always imagined myself settling in Canton. I enjoyed growing up here,” Josh says. “I have a lot ofmemories of my dad taking me to high school sports and other community events when he worked for theCanton Daily Ledger, and the enjoyment of those events never really left me. However, I had an itch to see otherplaces and I went away first to NIU to be close to Chicago and to experience what that was like because I had noprior experience living somewhere bigger or that close to a major city. I enjoyed visiting, but I was fairly certain Ididn’t want to live there. I just wanted to make sure.”And so, Josh transferred from Northern to Western Illinois University and by 2010 had earned a B.S. inelementary education with endorsements in middle school social studies, language arts, and science. Throughoutthis circular phase of Josh’s life, the one constant in his life remained his friendship with Corrinna Markland.THE SECOND CIRCLE – CORRINNAAfter performing in a few Canton High School musicals and with CHS Bandinstructor Joe Roman’s encouragement, Corrinna, like many talented youngwomen, dreamed of being a Broadway star. “During my junior year, I was in theCHS production of Annie. I had a couple of small roles, but one of them includeda solo,” Corrinna says. “Mr. Roman approached me after the performance andasked me to audition for jazz vocalist in jazz band. I was terrified and excited at thesame time. Jazz singing was completely foreign to me.”However, Joe Roman continued to encourage Corrinna to give it a try andshe was ultimately selected as jazz vocalist her senior year. “Mr. Roman rehearsedwith me, shared his love and knowledge of jazz musicians, and even lent me akeyboard to practice on my own. His support and encouragement fosteredconfidence. Singing was natural for me and was always my best instrument. ButMr. Roman was instrumental in developing my work ethic for other creative skillswhich I’ve carried over to many other areas of my life.”In the fall of 2006, Corrinna entered Illinois Central College attending for the next two years on a performing arts scholarship. Before completing her degree, however, the circle of life moved again, and Corrinnaenrolled at Northern Illinois University in the BFA acting program.“I was chasing Josh,” she laughs. “But I didn’tlast even a semester and returned home to Spoon River College to complete my associate degree. I still hadn’tdiscovered what I wanted to do, so at 22, I moved to Springfield to try and figure that out while working atStarbucks using the skills I’d learned working at the Canton Monical’s while in high school.”THE THIRD CIRCLEBy 2011, Josh Pickel and Corrinna Markland realized that their life circles kept bringing them closer to oneanother and they both returned to Canton. Friendship had transmuted into love.www.cantonillinois.org

THE CHAMBER COURIERJune 2021 - Page 14The Circles of Life, ContinuedCorrinna worked as an event coordinator at Kickapoo Winery. Josh, who had completed his student teachingin the Cuba School District, looked for teaching jobs in the local area while substitute teaching at Canton HighSchool and working part-time at the YMCA. During the 2011-12 school year, Josh contracted with the Lewistown School District to teach fifth grade, but that position ended after one year when grant funding dried up.He then briefly taught fourth grade at District 150’s Charter Oak School.“I realized I needed to grow up myself before teaching others,” Josh says. “So, I stopped teaching foreight years. I found interesting employment, such as fixing watches and reading utility meters. And I took somegraduate level classes at Western Illinois University, too. But the tug to teach was always there.”Corrinna thinks it was the birth of their daughter, June, in 2014 that changed everything. “We suddenlybecame a family unit, not just a couple,” she says. “I knew I wanted to quit work and go back to school. I alsoknew it was a big move, a financial drain, and asking a lot of Josh. But Josh just said go.”Ultimately, Corrinna enrolled in the social work program at WIU. She volunteered at the Fulton MasonCrisis Service, Eastside Nazarene Church and the local Salvation Army. Corrinna’s studies and encounters withfolks in Canton were opening her eyes to the many needs in her own backyard. She discovered numerous socialservice needs such as homelessness, substance dependence, employment assistance, and access to mental healthcare. She earned a degree in social work from WIU in May 2017 and immediately began working withBridgeway in June.THE FOURTH CIRCLEWhen their son Cal was born in 2018, Josh, Corrinna, and family had come full circle. Corrinna beganemployment at North Central Behavioral Health Systems’ Canton branch so she could work in Canton as amental health clinician. She provides mental health treatment to over 90 individuals ranging from ages 5 to 70.Working in community mental health can be trying and providing psychotherapy for a variety of mentaldisorders can be exhausting in more ways than one, but it is evident Corrinna enjoys her work.“Our community is made up of a lot of strong individuals that just need some support. I get to learn fromthese folks every day,” Corrinna says. “And I get to help them learn resiliency and reach goals. I get to help themfeel equipped to give back to their own families and community. My hope is that in doing so, I’m a part ofsomething bigger.”When Chad Murphy, Director of Adult Education at Spoon River College, called Josh about an openingin the Adult Education’s GED program in 2019, Josh decided it was time to teach again – this time in a newenvironment – one in which his beliefs, his talents, and his skills would be utilized for the greater good.Chad Murphy had asked his father, Phil Murphy, what he thought about Josh Pickel. “Withouthesitation,” Chad says, “My father responded ‘Josh is very creative. I think he would be an excellent teacher.’ Theword creative struck a tone with me. Adult education is different from a traditional classroom. Think one roomschoolhouse. It takes someone who is willing to be accessible as a teacher and offer support and encouragement.It takes someone to provide creative lessons and a learning environment where students are encouraged to takecharge of their own academic and personal achievement. As I spoke to those who know Josh, I felt that he fit thatunique mold. It has proven to be true. And, the longer he is with us, the more success he is having.”When Josh received a call from the principal at Ingersoll Middle School in March of 2020 to be a longterm substitute, Josh interviewed and was hired the next day. However, Josh taught in person for only one day.On the second day, Josh became a remote teacher due to the COVID pandemic. It quickly became evident thathis flexible teaching style and visual communication skills from Northern would pay off after all.“I had always envisioned teaching at Ingersoll Middle School and only Ingersoll,” Josh says.www.facebook.com/CACC61520

THE CHAMBER COURIERJune 2021 - Page 15The Circles of Life, Continued“When I took a few WIU graduate education classes from my former Ingersoll principal, Phil Murphy,and he took us on a tour of Ingersoll Middle School, I acknowledged that the teaching tug was still there. Now Iteach for both Ingersoll and Spoon River College’s GED program.”Today, Josh teaches his students not just facts and data; he encourages them to explore and experiment,while providing a safe environment in which the students can be themselves– something he learned from hisformer English teacher Martha Harr. “Being wrong is a doorway to learning,” says Josh. “It’s not failure; it’sdiscovery. A spark that leads to a path.”Or maybe to a circle. Josh relates a story about a 16-year-old GED student, who had not completed hisfreshman year at high school, and who did not believe he would be successful in passing his GED exams either.With Josh’s encouragement and guidance, not only did the young student pass, he passed all of them – in onlyfour months.Corrinna continues in the job she loves but is also working toward a master’s in social work through theUniversity of Illinois. “Ten years from now, I hope to be working as a mental health clinician like I am now. I’mon track to have my MSW completed in the summer of 2022. After that, I hope to obtain my clinical license. Iplan to continue living and working in the community that I have called home for most of my life. I’m confidentthat my children will benefit from the local school district and that my husband will remain an active participantin educating the young minds of our community. I had a good childhood here and I’m most looking forward tomy children benefiting from the same opportunities I was afforded.”In the community at large, Josh recently became involved with the rejuvenated Fulton County ArtsCouncil and serves as its Vice President. Corrinna performs with the Spoon River College Community Chorus.June enjoys dance classes and who knows what the future holds for young Cal.Josh and Corrinna believe that Canton has tremendous potential to be a great place for people in theirage group and younger. “You’re seeing businesses pop up now that are pretty progressive and keep a hip youngercrowd in mind,” says Josh. “We have a lot of faith in the people of our generation who have chosen to makeCanton their home in their adult life. We’ve got a good group that has a palpable sense of care for thiscommunity and what it will become over the next several decades.”THE NEXT CIRCLECurrent Executive Director of the Spoon River Partnership for Economic Development, Cole McDaniel,himself a young professional who returned to rural Central Illinois, explains how important returning youngprofessionals are to the economic growth of the area he now serves. “I believe that gaining knowledge andperspective on a variety of issues both personally and professionally is so valuable for many youngprofessionals,” McDaniel says. “Personally, I knew the day I left my rural hometown, that I wanted to go out andgain more knowledge and new experiences and bring that back to make a valuable impact in my hometownhowever I could. As we move into the world of remote work post pandemic, there will be even more opportunityfor young professionals to come back to their roots and have the same job opportunities that they could have ifthey lived elsewhere.”And the Partnership, as well as the Canton Area Chamber of Commerce, is enticing youngprofessionals to do just that. “The Spoon River Partnership for Economic Dev

THE CHAMBER COURIER June 2021 - Page 2 www.cantonillinois.org EXECUTIVE BOARD President - Jana Emmons, Ipava State Bank Vice President - Lacey Neal, Rock Valley Physical Therapy Treasurer - Jodi Wilcoxen, MidAmerica National Bank Secretary - Lisa Gardner, Jim Maloof Realtor BOARD OF DIRECTORS Business and Community Development